KIEV, February 26, /ITAR-TASS/. The process of collecying signatures to a coalition agreement for the formation of a new govetnment is currently unfer way in the Verkhovna Rada. Under the Constitution of 2004, to which Ukraine has reverted, a parliamentary majority forms a government. Candidacies for a Cabinet of Ministers are being fixed with the protesters in the Independence Square. Arseni Yatsenyuk, chairman of the parliamentary faction of Batkivshchina, pointed out, "A programme for government activities must be the basis of a coalition agreement". "Points on the agenda are as follows: a stabilization of the financial and political situation in the country, an agreement with the International Monetary Fund, an immediate investigation of all crimes, a reform of the Interior Ministry system, and the signing of an agreement with the European Union", he said. In so doing Yatsenyuk stated that deputies from the Party of Regions should not be part of a coalition.
At the same time, Alexander Yefremov, leader of the faction of the Regionals, stated that the faction would aupport a proposal by the majority on the creation of a government of people's trust. "The Party of Regions will not participate in forming the Cabinet, since the Party is in the opposition, but will support a new majority during voting on a premier and government members," he pointed out.
The process of forming both a coalition and a new composition of government is proceeding with much difficulty. Yesterday's opposition, which is alread in power now, lacks resources for the formation of a coalition without deputies from the Party of Regions and non-faction parliamentarians. More than 70 parliamentarians have withdrawn from the party and a half of them formed a deputies' group "Economic Development", headed by Anatoly Kinakh, president of the Ukrainian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs. However, it remains a question whether they will be admitted to the coalition. It is suggested that non-faction deputies, of whom there are 225 in the Verkhovna Rada, jon the factions of Batkivshchina, UDAR, and Freedom to increase their total number from the present 170 up to 226, at least. It is precisely this minimum number that is essential for the fomation of a coalition and for an effective vote.
In the process, not all members of factions are contented with the talks on the formation of a coalition. Oleg Tyagnibok, leader of the nationalist party Freedom, told journalists on Tuesday night that his party did not yet decide on participation in a future government. "The Freedom has not yet approved a decision on participating in that government," he said.
Besides, Yatsenyuk stated that "a government will be legitimate when it will get the backing of the Maidan people, not when it is voted for in parliament". Protesters in the Independence Square are demanding that people from the list of Ukraine's 100 wealthiest persons, the leaders of executive power bodies and presidential administration employees who had held the posiions since the beginning of 2010 be not included in a future government. The protesters also demand that members of a government of people's trust have a working experience in the sector at least seven years with the exception of those in the Interior Ministry, the Security Service, and the Defence Ministry, that they have not been involved in human rights violations and corruption-related activities.
Proceeding from the current processes in parliament, UDAR faction members have stated the need to declare an early election of deputies to the Verkhovna Rada. UDAR member Viktor Pinzenik said, "I become more and more convinced that we are lacking yet another important decision. Judging by the current processes and the fact that we do not see up to now a draft coalition agreement, we must declare an early election to the Verkhovna Rada".
Despite Yatsenyuk's assurances that "there will be no backstage consultations on the formation of a new Cabinet of Ministers", most of deputeis do not know how the consultations are being held. Some parliamentarians maintaina that "backstage games and bargainings for positions are in progress".
Two main candidacies for premiership are currently under discussion, those of Arseni Yatsenyuk and Pyotr Poroshenko, a non-faction deputy and a big businessman.